Ariz. Governor's Plan for Medicaid Cuts Advances

Arizona legislative committees have endorsed Republican Gov. Jan Brewer's plan to seek federal clearance to suspend Medicaid health care coverage for 280,000 low-income people to help balance the state budget.

The committees voted along party lines Wednesday after the opening of a special session called by the governor to consider her plan to seek a waiver.

The committees' votes clear the way for action Thursday by the full House and Senate.

The waiver would be to the federal health care overhaul's "maintenance of effort" requirement. That requirement prohibits states from reducing Medicaid eligibility below early 2010 levels, and applies until the overhaul expands Medicaid coverage in 2014.